The invention lies in the field of mounting electronic components or modules, in particular electrooptical modules (known as transceivers). When mounting modules of this type on carriers, for example printed-circuit boards provided with conductor tracks and connection contacts, there is the requirement on the part of the user for modules which can be placed on the printed-circuit board relatively freely and unrestrictedly. This requires modular configurations and suitable mechanical connections whichxe2x80x94depending on the available mounting space and accessibilityxe2x80x94allow simple horizontal insertion of the modules into suitable holders or permit vertical mounting of the modules.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,631 discloses a mounting device which has mounting rails, with a planar substrate as the carrier of an electric circuit having projections along two opposite edges. The projections may be formed vertically in the mounting rails, the substrate subsequently sliding along angled slots into an end position. Since, however, in the end position, the substrate is not secured against being pulled off in a vertical or angled direction, the mounting device is not suitable for the mounting of the electrooptical modules.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,558 discloses module variants each with a connection-contact strip which either protrudes at right angles from the underside of the module or penetrates the narrow rear wall of the rear region of the module, seen in the pushing-in direction. The first module variant consequently allows only mounting that is exclusively perpendicular to a holder, during which the resilient electrical contacts of the contact strip on the module side penetrate vertically into corresponding co-operating contacts of a contact receptacle on the holder side. This variant requires for mounting and removal a corresponding free space in the vertical direction (referred to hereafter as the Y direction) above the holder. The other variant allows only mounting in a horizontal direction parallel to the upper side of the holder (hereafter referred to as the Z direction), that requires a corresponding free space in front of the holder. Moreover, precise guiding of the module during the connection to the holder is not provided in either variant of the module.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a connection system that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which allows both mounting exclusively in the Z direction and mounting with a movement in the Y direction and subsequent movement in the Z direction, with an extremely small free space being required.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a connection system containing a holder having longitudinal sides, an upper side, and holding rails disposed on the longitudinal sides. An electronic component is releasably mechanically connected to the holder and covers at least an amount of residual travel before arriving in an end position. The electronic component has longitudinal sides with two holding regions disposed on each of the longitudinal sides that interact at least partially with the holding rails during the residual travel. The holding rails having gaps formed therein for allowing a vertical insertion of the holding regions perpendicularly in relation to the upper side of the holder. The residual travel into the end position takes place exclusively along a pushing-in direction running parallel to the upper side of the holder. The holding regions are rear-engagement devices which, as seen in the pushing-in direction, are disposed one behind another and, during the residual travel, grip at least partially under the holding rails. The gaps are formed such that the rear-engagement devices that are leading in the pushing-in direction pass the gaps during a mounting operation without being able to come away from the holder transversely in relation to the pushing-in direction.
One significant advantage of the connection system according to the invention is that, depending on the circumstances specific to the particular application, in particular according to the space available in each case for mounting and removal, and the desired configuration of the holder on a carrier, it allows if need be both mounting or removal exclusively in the Z direction and mounting essentially vertically, with a movement in the Y direction with a subsequent (small residual) movement in the Z direction, covering the residual amount of travel. One significant aspect of this is that both mounting variants are inherent to the connection system, so that it is quite possible for different sequences of movements also to be realized during mounting and removal. One significant advantage of the invention for user friendliness and reliability is that, when mounting in the Z direction, it is ensured by the envisaged configuration of the gaps with respect to the leading rear-engagement devices that, even when they are moving past the gaps, the rear-engagement devices cannot leave the holding rails transversely in relation to the pushing-in directionxe2x80x94at least not without considerable force being exerted. The connection system according to the invention consequently ensures a guided and reliable mounting movement in the Z direction (pushing-in direction) in spite of the alternative mounting and removal possibilities.
In principle, the reliable guidance of the leading rear-engagement devices during mounting in the Z direction (exclusively) could be ensured by the width of the rear-engagement devices being greater than the gaps and, for example, by the rear-engagement devices being able to be temporarily reduced in their width elastically for the mounting in the vertical direction. However, a configuration that is preferred from a technical mounting viewpoint provides that the width of the gaps corresponds at least to the width of the rear-engagement devices that are leading in the pushing-in direction.
To allow the leading rear-engagement devices to pass the gaps reliably during the mounting operation in the Z direction (exclusively), according to a preferred configuration of the invention it is provided that the gaps of holding rails lying opposite one another are at a greater spacing than the clear spacing of the assigned leading rear-engagement devices lying opposite one another.
In particular in cases where there are a relatively large number of interactions during mounting, it is advantageous if the gaps have lead-in slopes and/or removal slopes, along which the rear-engagement devices slide during mounting or removal of the component vertically in relation to the holder. It is particularly preferred that the rear-engagement devices can in this case be of a resilient configuration.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a connection system, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.